Chinese Acrobats, Underwater Opera and Hutongs

These are pictures of Chinese acrobats during a performance we had the chance to watch last week. It seemed to be a lot like what I think cirque du soleil is like with the costumes and balancing acts. In the long course of development, the Chinese acrobatic art has formed its own style. The ancient acrobatics stemmed from the people's life and had a close link with their life and productive labor. Instruments of labor like tridents, wicker rings, tables, chairs, jars, plates, and bowls were used in their performances of "Flying Trident," "Balance on Chairs," "Jar Tricks," and "Hoop Diving."

Gymnastics On Double-Fixed Poles: "Pole Climbing" is one of the main traditional acrobatic numbers in China; vivid descriptions date back 1,000 years. On the basis of "Pole-Climbing", new acrobatic movements such as jumping from one pole to the other, swift descent, and many others have been added.



Hoop Diving: This is an item developed from "Leaping through Rings on the Ground". It was known as "Swallow Play" more than two thousand years ago because the performers imitated the flying movements of swallows as they leapt nimbly through the narrow mat rings. It was also called "Dashing Through Narrows". The performers are graceful and agile in their movements and demonstrate incredible dexterity.



Wushu (Chinese Traditional Group Gymnastics): With movements of somersault, pulling, jumping, kicking and various postures, it has become an acrobatic symbol. The agility, precision and rhythm of acrobat movements convey a sense of vigor, strength and beauty.






Located on the western side of the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing, is China's newly completed National Grand Theater. With its unique shell structure, it looks like a transparent pearl surrounded by an artificial lake. Its interior consists of an underwater corridor, an olive-shaped hall, a public hall, and three major halls designed for opera, music and drama performances.

The theater is a perfect blend of Chinese elements and modern design. Entering from the northern gate, visitors will first find themselves in the 80-meter-long underwater corridor, flanked on both sides with exhibition areas. Above the glass ceiling is an artificial lake which casts down glimmering ripple shadows, creating amazing patterns combined with bubble-shaped decorations on the wall. The corridor ends at the "olive hall," which gets its name from its huge olive-shaped interior. Its doors are heavy and graceful, each bearing 180 round-shaped doornails – a modern version of those on ancient Chinese imperial doors.The public hall possesses the largest arched roof in China. The arch is made of brazilwood, in a deep red hue that appeals to traditional Chinese tastes. The stone flooring, dubbed the "splendid landscapes," is divided into 22 sections using precious materials made at home


The 2,398-seat opera hall, designed for large-scale opera and dance performances, and bathed in gorgeous golden light, represents the most magnificent part of the Theater. The stage can be pushed, moved, lifted, lowered or rotated swiftly; and can accommodate swift changes in lighting. The music hall is white and solemn. It functions as a performance hall for large symphonies and national music; and has 2,019 seats. China's largest organ can be found here; it holds more than 6,500 pipes to meet the demands of various music schools.The 1,035-seat drama hall is used for both traditional and modern stage plays. It is decorated using a rich, Chinese style; and the world-class stage can be raised or lower, and rotated at the same time.




A hutong is an ancient city alley or lane typical in Beijing, where hutongs run into the several thousand. Surrounding the Forbidden City, many were built during the Yuan (1206-1341), Ming(1368-1628) and Qing(1644-1908) dynasties. In the prime of these dynasties the emperors, in order to establish supreme power for themselves, planned the city and arranged the residential areas according to the etiquette systems of the Zhou Dynasty. The center of the city of Beijing was the royal palace -- the Forbidden City.



Hutong represents an important culture element of Beijing city. Thanks to Beijing’s long history and status as capital for six dynasties, almost every hutong has its anecdotes, and some are even associated with historic events. In contrast to the court life and elite culture represented by the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect the culture of grassroots Beijingers. The hutongs are residential neighborhoods which still form the heart of
Old Beijing. Below is a picture of one of several rooftop bars in the hutongs that we visited.